Afternoon all!
As per the title really, can anyone recommend the best brush to buy for less than £20. I've just got a chinese one at the moment that I think is artificial and I feel like I'm missing out!
The subject of grades of badger hair could fill a page (in fact they do, see link below) but it doesn't really matter when it comes purely to quality of lather, they all hold water well and they should all lather very nicely. The higher grades are just softer hair and provide a more luxurious feel, and it's a subjective thing, some people actively prefer the lower grades as they feel a little "scrubby" and may exfoliate the skin to some extent. Others want a mega soft brush and will pay a lot for the finest hair.
My own budget rec would be an Edwin Jagger or Muhle brush in "black" or "pure" if you want that slightly scrubby action. They're well priced.
B+B's page on what each manufacturer calls their badger grades:
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Shave_Brush_Hair_Grades